The gelatin beads are water soluble and will dissolve in any water containing step. Also, as you point out, they will melt at high temperature. Your solution of doing FS is probably the best way of trying to look for these beads. René J.
--- On Thu, 3/5/09, Andrea Grantham <algra...@u.arizona.edu> wrote: From: Andrea Grantham <algra...@u.arizona.edu> Subject: [Histonet] gelatin beads To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 10:19 AM Good Morning, I have an investigator who is bringing me rat brains that have been injected with gelatin beads. I'm sectioning through the injection site(s) and she is hoping to see the beads. BUT even though the injection sites are easy to see there are no gelatin beads present. My question is, are they being washed out somehow by fixation/processing or dropping out in the waterbath as she is telling me? Or are they melting in the paraffin steps (60 degrees)? If either of these are the case I'm thinking that frozen sections might be the solution? Sorry I don't have more info on the beads. I'll try to get that today. Thanks, Andi ..................................................................... : Andrea Grantham, HT(ASCP) Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy : : Sr. Research Specialist University of Arizona : : (office: AHSC 4212) P.O. Box 245044 : : (voice: 520-626-4415) Tucson, AZ 85724-5044 USA : : (FAX: 520-626-2097) (email: algra...@u.arizona.edu) : :...................................................................: http://www.cba.arizona.edu/histology-lab.html _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet